Navigation

MEJA missed opportunity?

A decorated U.S. Soldier, from the State of Texas, filed suit today in U.S. Federal Court in Washington DC against a British Contractor for injuries sustained during a reckless shooting incident in Iraq.

Former U.S. Army Sergeant Kadim Alkanani is suing London-based Aegis Defence Services Limited, for an incident on June 3, 2005, in which Aegis contractor’s opened fire without warning on Sergeant Alkanani’s unit moments after they had passed through a check point on their return to base, thereby injuring Sergeant Alkanani and ending his promising military career.

Sgt. Alkanani was stationed in Iraq at the time and was a decorated soldier and a recipient of many awards, including the National Defense Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Services Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal. (Note, none of these are personal awards and are given to every soldier based on time or location of service).

. . .

Charles Swift stated: "This case is not just about the senseless shooting of Specialist Alkanani, it is about the rule of law. If the Aegis Security Guards had been soldiers they would have faced a Court-Martial and Aegis’s CEO would have been relieved of his command for what happened to Specialist Alkanani. It is past time that contractors in Iraq like Aegis lived by the same rules as everyone else."

Here’s the question.

1. A British soldier?

2. A British contractor with a British firm contracted to a British unit?